Apparatus for adding a quantity of a liquid to another liquid



J. M. KOMTER 3,073,488 APPARATUS FOR ADDING A QUANTITY OF A LIQUID To ANOTHER LIQUID Jan. 15, 1963 Filed March 21, 1960 FIG. 2

3cm M.Kom'l:e.r

INVENTOR Patented Jan. 15, 1963 3,073,488 APPARATUS FQR ADDING A QUANTITY OF A LHQUID TO ANOTHER HQUED Jan M. Komter, Eemnesseweg 31a, Blarieum, Netherlands Filed Mar. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 16,297 4 Ciaims. (Cl. 2Z2--394) This invention relates to an apparatus for adding a quantity of a liquid to another liquid. Apparatus of this kind may, for example, be used for automatically adding a predetermined quantity of a liquid cleansing and/or disinfecting agent to the water contained in a flushing cistern of a closet.

it is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus of the kind referred to, which is of a relatively simple construction and operates satisfactorily even if the doses to be added are rather small.

Another object is to provide an apparatus the correct operation of which is not interfered with by variations of the temperature and pressure of the atmosphere.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus having no capillary openings so that there is no danger of clogging.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear hereinafter.

In accordance with this invention the apparatus for adding a quantity of a liquid to another liquid comprises a container for said first liquid, said container being closed at its top, a gas bell being open at its lower side and adapted to be immersed in said other liquid and intermittently freed from said liquid, and means forming an exclusive connection between the lower part of said container and the upper part of said bell, said means comprising a space having at least one opening communicating with said lower part of said container and at least one overflow opening communicating with said upper part of said bell and being at least at substantially the same level of said first opening so as to establish a secondary liquid level of said first liquid in said space.

The invention will further be described with reference to the accompanying drawing showing two embodiments of an apparatus according to the invention.

FIG. 1 is a part of a sectional elevation of a flushing cistern with a container holding the liquid to be added supported therein according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a similar sectional elevation of the second embodiment.

As shown in FEG. 1 the container 2 holding the liquid to be added to the water in the flushing cistern 1 is supported therein by two supporting elements 3 and 4. A hollow cap 5 extends into the neck of the container 2 and constitutes an air bell and is divided into two compartments by a transverse partition 6. The partition 6 is provided with an aperture 7 having at its upper side an upstanding rim 8, which may be obtained by a small tube fitted into the partition 6. The cap 5 at its circumferential wall has holes 9, so that a liquid seal is formed in the space above the partition 6 in similar manner as in a birdfountain.

'Ihe container 2 is to be located on such a level above the bottom of the cistern 1 that with the lowest water level in the cistern the air can freely enter-the air bell formed by the cap 5. If now the quantity of water in the cistern 1 is increased and the level rises the air contained in the bell below the partition 6 is compressed and said increase of pressure through the aperture 7 is also transmitted to the space above the liquid seal. By said increase of pressure the liquid above the partition is forced back into the container 2 through the holes 9, so

that said holes are partly uncovered and air may escape from the bell and rise through the liquid in the container,

whereby the air pressure above the liquid in the container 2 will increase or the vacuum will decrease. If new water is withdrawn from the cistern 1 the pressure in the hell,

5 will decrease, whereby liquid will flow out of the container 2 over the rim 8 of the aperture 7 and will be mixed with the water in the cistern 1. With the lowest water level in the cistern the air can freely .enter the bell, so that when water is admitted to the cistern again the air contained in the bell will again be compressed and a pressure rise for a new dose of liquid is generated again above the liquid in the container 2.

With the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 the dose of liquid discharged from the container 2 may be varied in accordance with the water level in the flushing cistern. The cap '5 which by means of feet It) is supported on the bottom of the cistern 1 has a central part 11 constituting the air bell and having at its bottom 6 a small upwardly extending tube 8 forming the aperture 7 communicating with the space above the bottom 6. Said latter space is formed in a vertically adjustable cup 12 threaded on the part 11 of the cap 5 and having at its top a channel 9 extending downwards. With the position of the cup 12 shown in FIG. 2 the upper end of tube 8 extends above the lower end of channel 9 but the cup 12 may be adjusted also to a higher level until the lower end of channel 9 reaches the level of the upper end of tube 8. In this manner the dose of liquid may be varied in accordance with the water level in the cistern.

The cubic capacity of the space in the hell 5 below the partition 6 should be larger than the volume of the largest dose discharged from the container 2 as otherwise with the highest water level in the cistern the water in the bell 5 would rise to such a high level that water above the partition 6 would come in contact with the liquid which has flowed out of the container 2. Particularly when the liquid to be added contains surface-active substances said liquid could diffuse into the water, so that the apparatus would not operate satisfactorily. Preferably the bell, therefore, has such a depth that an air cushion is always maintained in the bell below the partition 6'.

Though with the embodiments described above the air or gas bell is united to an integral body with the liquid seal, it is to be noted that only the compartment located above the partition 6 constituting the liquid seal may be provided on the container 2 and that the bell 5 may be immersed as a separate body in the water contained in the cistern 1. The container 2 may then be shaped as a bird fountain, having its bowl or spout closed at the top and connected exclusively to the bell. With said arrangement the container 2 may be located outside the cistern 1 and the pressure rises in the bell may also be generated by moving the bell downwards in the liquid contained in the cistern.

What I claim is:

1. A dispensing device for adding a first liquid to a second liquid within a container, comprising a reservoir for said first liquid, and metering means communicating between said reservoir and said container for intermittently adding a predetermined quantity of said first liquid to said container, said metering means including a pressure chamber provided with a first compartment adapted alternately to be charged with said second liquid, thereby forming an air pocket within said chamber, and to be freed from said second liquid, thereby admitting-additional air to said chamber; a second compartment provided with at least one liquid discharge aperture opening into said first compartment and with at least one liquid inlet aperture opening into said reservoir, said liquid discharge aperture being disposed above said liquid inlet aperture, thereby forming a liquid seal within said second compartment between said apertures upon the charging of said first compartment with said second liquid for preventing the entry of said first liquid into said first compartment and for admitting said predetermined quantity of said first liquid to said first compartment upon a freeing of the latter of said second liquid, said second compartment communicating above the level of liquid therein with said first compartment substantially only through said liquiddischarge aperture whereby said second compartment and said apertures form substantially the sole path of fiow of said first liquid into said second liquid.

2. A dispensing device according to claim 1, further comprising means for adjusting the height of said inlet aperture relative to said discharge aperture.

3. A dispensing device according to claim 1 wherein said pressure chamber is a gas bell removably mounted in the mouth of said reservoir and extending inwardly therefrom, said gas bell being provided with leg means for supporting said bell and said reservoir upon the floor of said container.

4. A dispensing device for adding a first liquid to a second liquid of variable level within a container, comprising a reservoir for said first liquid, and metering means communicating between said reservoir and said container for intermittently adding a predetermined quantity of said first liquid to said container, said metering means including a pressure chamber disposed in said container at a location above the minimum level of said second liquid and below the maximum level thereof; a partition subdividing said chamber into a lower compartment and an upper compartment, said lower compartment being provided with an opening adapted to admit said second liquid to said chamber, thereby compressing air therewithin, said upper compartment being provided with a liquid inlet aperture opening into said reservoir, and said partition being provided with a liquid discharge aperture interconnecting said compartments; and means including an upstanding rim on said partition surrounding said liquid discharge aperture and extending above the level of said liquid inlet aperture, thereby forming a liquid seal within said upper compartment between said apertures upon the admission of said second liquid to said lower compartment, said second compartment communicating above the level of liquid therein with said first compartrnent substantially only through said liquid-discharge aperture whereby said second compartment and said apertures form substantially the sole path of flow of said first liquid into said second liquid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,045,473 Keillor June 23, 1936 2,351,579 Beckman June 20, 1944 2,351,580 Beckman June 20, 1944 2,812,119 Bethune Nov. 5, 1957 2,839,763 Newsom June 24, 1958 2,972,436 Anderson Feb. 21, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 148,821 Sweden Feb. 5, 1955 

1. A DISPENSING DEVICE FOR ADDING A FIRST LIQUID TO A SECOND LIQUID WITHIN A CONTAINER, COMPRISING A RESERVOIR FOR SAID FIRST LIQUID, AND METERING MEANS COMMUNICATING BETWEEN SAID RESERVOIR AND SAID CONTAINER FOR INTERMITTENTLY ADDING A PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF SAID FIRST LIQUID TO SAID CONTAINER, SAID METERING MEANS INCLUDING A PRESSURE CHAMBER PROVIDED WITH A FIRST COMPARTMENT ADAPTED ALTERNATELY TO BE CHARGED WITH SAID SECOND LIQUID, THEREBY FORMING AN AIR POCKET WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, AND TO BE FREED FROM SAID SECOND LIQUID, THEREBY ADMITTING ADDITIONAL AIR TO SAID CHAMBER; A SECOND COMPARTMENT PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE LIQUID DISCHARGE APERTURE OPENING INTO SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT AND WITH AT LEAST ONE LIQUID INLET APERTURE OPENING INTO SAID RESERVOIR, SAID LIQUID DISCHARGE APERTURE BEING DISPOSED ABOVE SAID LIQUID INLET APERTURE, THEREBY FORMING A LIQUID SEAL WITHIN SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT BETWEEN SAID APERTURES UPON THE CHARGING OF SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT WITH SAID SECOND LIQUID FOR PREVENTING THE ENTRY OF SAID FIRST LIQUID INTO SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT AND FOR ADMITTING SAID PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF SAID FIRST LIQUID TO SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT UPON A FREEING OF THE LATTER OF SAID SECOND LIQUID, SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT COMMUNICATING ABOVE THE LEVEL OF LIQUID THEREIN WITH SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT SUBSTANTIALLY ONLY THROUGH SAID LIQUIDDISCHARGE APERTURE WHEREBY SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT AND SAID APERTURES FORM SUBSTANTIALLY THE SOLE PATH OF FLOW OF SAID FIRST LIQUID INTO SAID SECOND LIQUID. 